New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-03
4 CATHEDRAL FOR NEW-YORK.

Tho scheme for a great Protestant Episcopal
cathedral in this CITY. as outlined by Bishop
Potter, ia magnificent one and VIII undouDt-
edly enlist the interest and attention OF the
whole community. There are already several
Episcopal cathedrals or bishops churches In
this country the most notable one being that
I'm Garden CITY, Long Island. But for various
reasons these cathedrals have not fulfilled the
cancellations of those who built them, and they
certainly have not enlisted popular interest
and support This may be due partly TO tho
fact that they have not been adequately en-
lowed. and partly because they have been re-
parded IA ornamental rather than useful adj
irncts TO the work of the Church Then 1t
has been felt in many quarters that the ca
thedraI system WINS m essentially English idea,
foreign to tho genius and institutions OF this
country.
But none of these objections will apply to the
proposed cathedral In tho first place, 1t VIII
stand in the metropolis. not merely OF the
United States, but of the American continent
and in certain sense will belong to the whole
Nation. II will be splendid religious shrine,
worthy of great people, aud 1t may III tine
become the religious forum OF the Protestant
Christianity of this country. II would, ms
Bishop Potter says, offer - to all men, OF what
ever condition or fellowship, the mnlstrations
OF religion in a language understood by the
common people, bidding TO their pulpits the
abIest and most honored teachers. free for
meditatlon. devotion or rest al all hours with
out fee or restriction" and thus be "a witness
to the brotherhood OF humanity IN the bond OF
the Divine Nazarcne, and OF the need OF the
human heart for some worthy place and voice
for the expression of it's deepest needs. :.
Such bulding would of necessity, under
our present condition. require 10 be admins
tered by the Church under whose control 1t
would be reared, but its welcome would be Tor
all men of whatsoever fellowship, and its
influence would be felt in the interests OF our
common Christianity throughout the whole
land"
But the cathedral will be even more than
great house of worship 1t Will be the centre
of missionary and educational effort and ntu
ence which will extend all through the State
and even to the Western frontier. 10 VIII en-
nody in tangible and practical form the ideas
of charity and philanthropy which are so
deeply imbedded IN Christianity, but which too
often fail to find an adequate expression. And
with Its complete and well-eqiippcd organiza-
! ton II Will DO TINS WORK lar Dcttcr tHdn u 10
now done through the hap-hazlrd efforts OF a
number of semi-independent organizations. 1t
will in fact be a great clearing house of practi-
cal religious work.
The cathedral will also be the natural and
proper place in which will be heard the great
preachers of the Anglican communion in Great
Britain and the United States and in which
they will command an audience worthy OF them
and the metropolis. Moreover. it is among the
possibilities of the future that the present dream
OF Christian unity may be so far reached that the
cathedral pulpit will be open in turn to all the
great preachers of evangelical Protestant Chris
tianity, thus testfying to the essential oneness
of our common Christianity.
These are some of the reasons why Bishop
Potters cogent appeal may be expected to en-
list the attention of all the citizens of this city
who are interested IN its moral and spiritual
welfare And it is n sngulary fortunate cir
cumstance that the idea of this proposed
cathedral is to be brought into practical shape
by man 80 catholic in his sympathies, so wise
in his methods of work, and so patriotic In his
instincts as Henry G. Potter